In Step
by Oneturtledove
Summary: When the day's been long and the path unforgiving, the solution can often be found in simple steps.


Disclaimer: Not mine.

Spoilers: None.

A/N: For Julesy. Surprise Marsan FTW!

* * *

It had been one of those days. Not bad, not good, not memorable, not forgettable. Just a tiny, unique piece in the mosaic that had become her life. There was nothing to say after a day like this. It didn't warrant drinking or even binging on ice cream. It just was.

She grabbed her jacket from her locker and slipped into it, then fought the warped metal door until it closed. Taking a deep breath, she let out a sigh, blowing her hair off of her forehead before leaving the room and heading outside.

The sun was setting and the medley of colors in the sky were enough to make her smile, but not enough to make her stop and look at them. She'd never marveled at sunsets because to her, the end of one day just meant the beginning of another. It was all an endless cycle, a continuous line, a monotonous treadmill of familiarity.

She was tired of it, and yet could find no solution to the problem, short of a time machine. She'd never fancied Marty McFly, so that idea was out.

Her pace slowed slightly as she realized she was wandering, with no direction to speak of. She'd only made it a block or so, but she liked the feeling of abandon, so she turned her mind off and continued on her journey.

It could have been minutes or an hour when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You too?"

She didn't have to look up to know who it was. Only one hand was that warm, only one voice that rich.

"I think so," was the only response she could think of.

"You know you're wandering, right?"

"I meant to do that."

He chuckled and adjusted his glasses.

"Can I join you, or is this a girl thing?"

"It's a girl thing, so you can definitely join me."

"You're a riot," he deadpanned, squeezing her shoulder.

They walked in silence for a long time, until the sky was dark and the crickets were out in full force. The night was still, like a snowy winter's eve, but there was a warm wind blowing from the west.

She stopped walking and sat down on a bench near the river.

"Do you ever feel like you're on pause?" she asked, looking up at him for the first time since he had joined her.

"All the time. And everything else is on fast forward."

"Why is that?"

"I have no idea."

She sighed as he sat down next to her.

"Maybe we're not supposed to. Maybe that's just the way it is and we have to deal with it."

"Pessimist."

"Realist," she corrected with a smile. She rested her head on his shoulder and he reached over for her hand.

"Either way, at least we understand each other."

"Especially when the rest of the world doesn't."

"Susan, I don't think they ever will."

"I hope not. A jump inside our collective minds could be very scary for the unprepared."

"We have a collective mind?"

"How else do we run a trauma without speaking?"

"See, I always thought we were just mind readers. I didn't know we were working from the same place."

"Mark, I don't even know how to respond to that."

"Tell me you love me."

She chuckled and pulled away a little.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Her laugh was loud before she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Mark. Even though you are extraordinarily weird sometimes."

"I love you too, Susan. Even though you are extraordinarily grumpy sometimes."

She scowled at him, but couldn't help smiling after a second.

"Well, I feel better," he said, dropping a kiss on her head. "Dinner?"

"As long as it's not pizza or burgers."

"I was just going to say the same thing."

"Ooh, shared mind strikes again."

"We've gotta put a muzzle on this thing."

She laughed as he pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in a hug.

"I really do love you, you know."

"It's not really a secret, Mark."

"I never said I was good at keeping things mum."

"I won't hold it against you."

"Didn't think you would," he said as they started to walk back in the direction they had come. He slid his arm around her shoulders once again and they fell into step together, as always.


End file.
